Loop-taker for sewing machines



April 2, 1935. H. GUNTHER LOOP TAKER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1933 2 Shests-Sheet l awe/MM Hermann G'wzler April 2, 1935. H. GUNTHER 1,996,290 I LOOP TAKER FOR- SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z ermalm Gee/like) Ni/Knew; I W% W W,

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 PATENT OFFICE LOOP-TAKER roa sawmc moms Hermann Gunther, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J.-, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 9, 193:, Serial No. 701,608 11 Claims. (01.112-184) This invention relates to loop-takers for sewing machines and more particularly to looptakers of the lock-stitch type.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro- 5 vide interlocking means between the thread-case and the circularly moving loop-seizing member which may readily be rendered ineffective by the operator in order that the thread-case may be removed from the loop-seizing member.

Another object of the invention is to provide means that will insure the thread-case being replaced in the loop-seizing member in its operative position relative to the thread-case rotationrestraining bar.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

25 Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a portion of a sewing machine embodying my improved loop-taker.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with the throatplate feed-dog and cover-slide removed.

30 Figure 3 is a section taken substantially along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view partly in section taken substantially along the lines H of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view.

Figure 6 is a disassembled perspective view of the component parts of my improved rotationrestraining bar.

Figure 7 is a disassembled perspective view of the component parts of the thread-case.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the loop-taker body.

As shown in the drawings, I is the frame of the machine, 2 is the usual reciprocating needlebar, 3 is the needle, 4 is the presser-bar and 5 is the presser-i'oot. Joumaled in the frame I of the machine is a driving shaft 6 which drives the vertical-axis loop-taker actuating shaft I through the gears 8 and 9.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, the loop-taker comprises a cup-shaped hookbody Ill having the usual loop-seizing beak II formed in its wall. The base of the hook-body III is centrally apertured at I2 (Figures 3 and 8) 65 to admit the vertical-axis loop-taker actuating shaft 1 to which it is secured in the usual and well known manner.

The hook-body I is provided with the usual open-topped annular raceway I! which receives the annular bearing rib ll of the thread-case l5." The thread-case I5 is held in the hookbody l0 against vertical displacement by means of an arcuate member I6 which enters a groove I'l formed in the wall of the hook-body.

As shown in Figures 3 and '7, the arcuate member I6 is provided with two notches l8 and I8 which receive the ends of the spring l9. The member I6 is slidingly fitted into the peripheral slot 20 in the flange M of the thread-case l5, and is held therein by the shouldered screws 2| which extend through the elongated apertures 22 in the member IS. The depth of the slot is slightly greater than the width 'of the arcuate member It to provide clearance for the spring 20 which lies between the member i6 and the wall 23 of the slot 20.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the arcuate member is urged outwardly with respect to the bearing rib ll of the thread-case and enters the groove H in the hook-body i0, thereby providing interlocking means between the thread-case and the hook-body. In order to facilitate the removal of the thread-case from the hook-body, I have provided the arcuate member it with a finger-lug 2!. The member l6 may be pressed inwardly towards the thread-case by means of the lug 24 until its outer edge is coincident with the outer periphery of the. bearingrib M. The thread-case may then be lifted vertically and thus removed from the hook-body.

To insure that the thread-case I5 is replaced in its operative position relative to the threadcase rotation-restraining bar 25, I have provided the bar 25 with a guiding plate 26 having a raised guiding portion 21 and a spring-latch 28 located in a groove 29 in the bar. The plate 26 and the spring-latch 28 being secured to the upper face of the rotation-restraining bar by means of a screw 30. To replace the thread-case in its operative position it is first placed in the open raceway of the hook-body with the rotation-restraining finger 3| preferably pointing away from the operator or towards the rear of the machine. The thread-case is then rotated in a clockwise direction until the rotation-restraining finger 3| extends under the raised guiding portion 21 of the guiding plate 26, and then upon continued rotation in a clockwise direction the finger 3| engages the spring-latch 28 and forces it inwardly until the finger contacts the usual lug 32 on the rotation-restraining bar. When the finger II is substantially in this position the spring-latch 28 rides oi! the edge of the finger and assumes its normal position, the finger 3| being held in its operative position between the end of the spring 28 and the lug 32. This construction facilitates the replacing of the threadcase in the hook-body and insures it being replaced in its correct operative position relative to the rotation-restraining bar.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:-

l. A loop-taker for sewing machines comprising a cup-shaped loop-seizing member formed with a groove in its side walls, a thread-case having an annular bearing rib carried by said cup-shaped member and a retaining plate carried by said bearing rib and extending into said groove.

2. A loop-taker for, sewing machines comprising a cup-shaped loop-seizing member formed with a groove in its side walls, a thread-case having an annular bearing rib carried by said cupshaped member and a yieldable retaining element carried by said bearing rib and extending into said groove.

3. A circularly moving loop-taker for sewing machines com a cup-shaped member formed with al p-seizing element and an opentopped raceway, the side walls of said cup-shaped member being provided with an annular groove, a thread-case having a bearing rib supported by said raceway, and an arcuate member carried by said thread-case and resiliently urged into the groove in the walls of the cup-shaped member.

4. A circularly moving loop-taker for sewing machines comprising a cup-shaped member formed with a loop-seizing element and an opentopped raceway, the side walls oi. said cupshaped member being provided with an annular groove, a thread-case having a bearing rib supported by said raceway and provided with a slot in its periphery, an arcuate member received in said slot, and spring means for urging said arcuate member into the groove in the wall of said cup-shaped member.

5'. A circularly moving loop-taker for sewing machines comprising a cup-shaped member formed with a loop-seizing element and an opentopped raceway, the walls of said cup-shaped member being provided with an annular groove, a thread-case supported by said raceway and having a bearing rib provided with a slot in its periphery, a rotation-restraining finger on said thread-case, said finger being located at a point substantially diametrically opposite said slot, an arcuate member received in said slot, and spring means for urging said arcuate member into the groove in the wall of said cup-shaped member.

6. A circularly moving hook for sewing machines comprising, a cup-shaped hook-body formed with a loop-seizing beak and an opentopped circular raceway, the side walls of said cup-shaped hook-body being formed with an annular groove, a thread-case having a bearing rib supported by said raceway, said bearing rib being provided with a peripheral slot, an arcuate member received in said slot and provided with an upstanding finger lug, a spring interposed between the bottom wall of said slot and said arcuate member, and means for movably securing said arcuate member to said thread-case.

7. In combination a reciprocating needle and lower stitch-forming mechanism coordinated therewith, said lower stitch-forming mechanism including a thread-case element and rotationrestraining element therefor, and means including a spring-latch on one of said elements having rotation-restraining engagement with the other of said elements.

8. In combination a reciprocating needle and lower stitch-forming mechanism coordinated therewith, said lower stitch-forming mechanism including a circularly moving loop-seizing member and a thread-case element having a bearing rib supported thereby, a rotation-restraining finger carried by said thread-case, a rotationrestraining bar and a spring-latch carried by said bar for holding said finger in its normal operative position.

9. In combination a reciprocating needle and lower stitch-forming mechanism coordinated therewith, said lower stitch-forming mechanism including a circular loop-seizing member and a thread-case element having a bearing rib supported thereby, a rotation-restraining finger carried by said thread-case, a rotation-restraining bar, and spring means carried by said rotationrestraining bar for automatically locking said finger in its normal position.

10. In a sewing machine having a reciprocating needle, in combination, a circularly moving looptaker, a thread-case element removably carried thereby, a rotation-restraining element cooperatively related to said thread-case element and a spring-latch carried by one of said elements and cooperating with the other of said elements to permit the thread-case to be turned in said looptaker from its initially inserted position to a normal operative position.

11. In combination, a reciprocating needle, a circularly moving loop-taker and a thread-case element removably carried thereby, a rotationrestraining finger carried by said thread-case, a rotation-restraining bar, and interlocking means between said finger and said bar, said last named means including a plate fixed to said bar for guiding said finger from an initially inserted position to its normal operative position, and spring means for automatically locking said finger in its normal operative position.

HERMANN GUN'I'HER, I 

